An occurance in which someone will complain about their lives and/or something bad that happened to them, only to be topped by someone else who is trying to sound more worse off to obtain attention. If it is a true pity fest, THIS person will also become out-pitied by someone with an even worse thing that happened to them. This goes on until finally someone has the most pitiful story and everyone feels bad for them, which is what they really wanted.

Pitiful person#1: I'm having such a shitty day, my boyfriend broke my heart into a thousand million peices and I failed my math test.
pitiful person#2: Yeah, that sucks I guess, my kitten got ran over right in front of me today, PLUS my dad totally said he hates me.
Pitiful person#3: Well MY dad won't let me eat and says I'm dead to him and my kitten ate my girlfriend right as she dumped me and then it died on a heart attack, fell on me, and broke my leg.
Pitiful People1 and 2: Awww, you poor thing!
Normal Person: all this pity fest needs is a merry-go-round made of tears.